


The kneazle

by Jaykatt



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, HP: EWE, M/M, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Slice of Life, i don't know why i wrote a christmasy fic at this time of year, written at 4 am
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-13 12:35:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16018052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaykatt/pseuds/Jaykatt
Summary: Harry didn't know why he found the creature so adorable. He certainly didn't have any fond memories of Crookshanks. But he had been doing his late Christmas shopping and when he had come face to face with the big, golden eyes of Lola the kneazle, he knew that he couldn't leave the Magical Menagerie without her.





	The kneazle

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to write a little something and actually finish it for once, so I got this idea from my other fic, "The cat", but this is set in the Harry Potter universe. And I couldn't resist a bit of Drarry, because of course I couldn't.

* * *

 

Harry didn't know why he found the creature so adorable. He _certainly_ didn't have any fond memories of Crookshanks. But he had been doing his late Christmas shopping and when he had come face to face with the big, golden eyes of Lola the kneazle, he knew that he couldn't leave the Magical Menagerie without her. It was the same feeling he had gotten when he first laid eyes on Hedwig; the sudden but persistent need to protect her and give her a loving home.

When Harry opened the cage in the dimly lit hallway of number 12, Grimmauld Place, Lola stuck her nose out and sniffed suspiciously. Harry knew that kneazles could detect untrustworthy people and dark magic, and the house was certainly filled to the brim with an aura of dark magic, despite Harry's best efforts to rid the house of all trinkets left behind by the noble and most ancient house of Black. He knelt down and stroked Lola's head. The orange fur was a lot softer than it looked.

“It's okay,” he mumbled. “The house is safe.”

As if to disprove his point, Kreacher shuffled forth from behind a corner, and, as soon as he had laid eyes on Lola, he snarled.

“What is this horrid thing? Is it an overgrown rat?”

“Don't be mean, Kreacher. This is Lola, my new kneazle,” Harry said, while Lola hissed in Kreacher's general direction. It wasn't the amicable encounter he had hoped for.

“Master should know better than to bring such a filthy, disgusting animal into the noble home of the house of Black,” Kreacher muttered while shuffling past Harry into the kitchen. Harry rolled his eyes and lifted Lola off the ground.

“Don't listen to him,” he said, and Lola purred contentedly as he scratched her chin. He walked into the drawing room and put her down on the floor. She immediately began sniffing at her surroundings, and Harry watched her as she sauntered around the room, inspecting every inch of it.

“Is it acceptable?” Harry asked her when she returned to him, pushing her head into his hand. She purred loudly. He sat down, cross-legged, to pet her. Suddenly, Harry heard the front door slam shut.

 -----

“Harry?” came a voice from downstairs.

“In the drawing room!” Harry called back. He could barely contain his excitement, or nervousness. He wasn't sure what the butterflies in his stomach were, exactly. He heard the sound of feet on the creaky stairs, and the door to the drawing room was pushed open. Draco's cheeks were flushed from the cold, and, judging by the snowflakes in his hair, it had evidently started to snow. Draco's face was split into a grin, which faltered when he saw Lola curled up by Harry's feet. His eyebrows knitted together.

“Wh...,” he began, and took a few steps into the room.

“This is Lola,” Harry tried to smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace.

“Harry,” Draco said, and it sounded like a reprimand.

“I'm sorry that I didn't discuss this with you beforehand, but she looked so lonely, and I just knew that I had to get her, and you'll love her, I promise,” Harry mumbled. He was hit by a thought.

“You're not allergic to kneazles, are you?”

“No, I'm not,” Draco said, and Harry was relieved to see that the smile was returning to his face. He pulled his scarf off and put it on an armchair next to the lit fireplace. Then, he sat down next to Harry. Lola immediately smelled him, and pushed her head in his hand.

“She is quite adorable,” Draco admitted.

“I knew you would love her!” Harry gave him a quick kiss. “She kind of reminds me of you, a little bit.”

“Let's not push it,” Draco snorted and scratched Lola between her ears. He turned to Harry again with an amused smile. “Did you actually manage to get any Christmas shopping done at all?”

“Oh ye, of little faith, of course I did.” Harry nudged one of the shopping bags towards Draco. He peered into it.

“There's nothing for me in here, is it? Wouldn't want to get the surprise ruined,” Draco chuckled as he rifled through Harry's finds.

“Don't worry, your presents are already wrapped and hidden away,” Harry replied. He knew Draco would be ecstatic when he opened the luxurious potions-set Harry had gotten for him. Christmas Day couldn't arrive soon enough.

“Is this book for Molly?” Draco held out the newest romance novel by Dorea Farbridge. Harry nodded. He had managed to get the last copy they had in Flourish and Blotts.

“She'll love it,” Draco smiled. He put the book back down and pulled out a thin package which was wrapped in brown paper.

“That's a broomstick, the kind that only hovers close to the ground. I was thinking that Rose might like it.”

Draco's smile widened as he carefully put the package back into the bag.

“You're so thoughtful,” he said, giving Harry a fond look. Lola was apparently getting sick of the romance, because she jumped into Draco's lap, distracting him. At first, he looked surprised, but then he brought his hand down to pet her.

“You know, I actually had a kneazel when I was very little,” he said, looking through the rest of the bag while stroking Lola's fur. This surprised Harry, he didn't think Lucius was the type of person to let anything less than regal-looking albino peacocks within the property lines.

“Really? Your parents let you have a kneazel?” he chuckled. Draco rolled his eyes.

“They're not _completely_ unreasonable. I was a pretty lonely child, they thought a kneazle could cheer me up. He never took to me, though; he always liked mother better.” He snorted and shook his head at the memory and looked down at Lola. “This one doesn't seem to mind me, at least.”

Harry reached over and pressed a lazy kiss to Draco's lips. He felt Draco smile into it. There was a distant sound of a knock at the front door, and Kreacher's grumbling voice as he answered it.

“Harry, Draco? We brought butterbeer,” came Hermione's voice from downstairs.

“Rosie! At least dry your shoes on the doormat!” Ron reprimanded. Harry leaned back from the kiss and smiled at Draco, who was continuing to pet Lola despite her loud snores. He was deliriously happy.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment and tell me if you liked it <3


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